TV Hack #1: Leak proof your lens cleaner.

TV Hack #1: never leak lens fluid again

So my problem was, I kept buying Zeiss lens cleaner (I will, without fail spell it Ziess at-least once in this post). I would try to always have one in my bag, (I’m a notorious packer and re-packer). This would be fine when the clear plastic cap was on, but it would eventually crack or break and I would have to leave it in my bag without a cap. Now the cap doesn’t lock, so the bottle would just continuously leak. Some bags have dedicated plastic pockets. But if I was taking a travel bag or just placing it In my regular back pack, then it would leak and soak my bag. Sometimes I could place it more efficiently, but ultimately this required more attention. Because placing it somewhere in a bag where it wouldn’t leak is really just a work around.

I tried looking for a lens cleaning bottle that has locking caps. I figured that would be a no brainer, but I actually had no success. So I started looking for spray bottles that lock and I stumbled upon perfume atomizers. They’re these travel sized spray bottles, that twist to lock and are perfect to throw in your pocket or camera bag, without having it leak all over. You can also buy them empty for making your own perfume.

I’ve shared this issue with people before and got mixed reactions, but maybe it’s due to my failure to properly explain the problem. I think my neurotic over thinking usually routes me to find an alternative, even if there are already common solutions to the problem. This would appeal to companies that manage crews or multiple cameras. Buying bulk lens cleaner and distrusting it amongst several bags, is a great way to know that you’re always prepared. (Not saying you should constantly clean your lenses either, doing so will eventually wear down the coating. However, being in a scenario where something is effecting the image quality and not having the fix handy is what I want to avoid.)

I’ve included links to these products through out this post. They are affiliate links and we do make a few pennies if you happen to purchase through our link. But feel free to search for “perfume atomizer”, if you want to shop around for yourself. We don’t aim to profit off of our readers so aggressively. Click any of the related links or images in this post to open one.

I found a set of atomizers that was plain looking enough to blend in with the rest of my gear, without them being too over the top. Click the image on the left to open the amazon page.

But there are a lot of options available. So if you’re a little extra proud, it can definitely be a unique addition to your bag. I’m sure you could find something impressive.

I use Zeiss Lens Cleaner but some of my filmschool reader may resignate more with Pancro

Fun fact: I spelled Pancro as panko throughout college and could never end up finding it online. DO NOT put Panko on your lens, you can use Pancro instead. It is far more efficient.

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Man discovers manual exposure

…and we’ve all been shooting on Auto this whole time.

Man can change his pupil size on command, once thought an impossible feat

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

Man can change his pupil size on command, once thought an impossible feat By Yasemin Saplakoglu

For those who maybe don’t totally get this joke, a cameras aperture and the human iris work in a very similar manor. The larger the aperture opening, the more light is allowed to expose the film or sensor and the shallower the depth of field.

In a bright area, stare at your hand about 1 foot away from your face. Lock your eyes on your hand and observe how blurry your peripheral vision is. Next, try to dim the lights and stare at your hand. Again, 1 foot away, you should notice that it is much blurrier then before. It has to do with how your eye adjusts to allow light, by opening the iris. For more on how aperture works, check out (This Post).